


Westbound Lane

by SonjaJade



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-15
Updated: 2016-10-15
Packaged: 2018-08-22 11:37:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8284450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SonjaJade/pseuds/SonjaJade
Summary: Rebecca’s completely surprised that she’s been given such an important mission, but she focuses intently on doing her best. Making a new friend and having the time of her life was a bonus.





	

When Maj. Miles pulled Rebecca aside at the North vs. East training games exercise, she was hoping it was for a quick romp in the press box while everyone was out to lunch. Instead, he charged her with one of the most important missions she’d ever accepted.  
  
“We have it on good authority that you can be trusted with top secret information,” he said, his eyes unseen behind his snow glasses (that doubled as sun glasses here in the east). “You know Lt. Riza Hawkeye?”  
  
“Yes, sir,” she answered. “She and I were roommates at the academy. We’re still good friends, to this day.”  
  
“She was the one who suggested you be given the opportunity to help us in our operation.” He leaned in closer and she nearly swooned. “What we discuss must never go outside this room, understand, Lieutenant?”  
  
Rebecca swallowed thickly. “Yes, sir. You’ve got my word- I won’t say anything.”  
  
He nodded and backed away, both to her relief and dismay. He smelled so good…  
  
“Lt. Maria Ross was not murdered by Col. Mustang. She was smuggled out of the country for her own safety. There is a mighty enemy living underneath Central City that framed her for the murder of Brig. Gen. Hughes.”  
  
Rebecca’s eyes widened. “An enemy _under_ the capitol?”  
  
Miles turned toward her, face serious and unreadable. “It’s too long and complicated a story to fully tell, suffice it to say the creatures are not human and at least one of them can shape shift. Alchemy is involved somehow, and it’s up to us to stop them.” He took off the glasses and looked her in the eye. “Führer Bradley is one of them, as is Selim Bradley, and we’re not sure how many remain.”  
  
Rebecca wasn’t one of those silly little girls to fall to pieces at the immediate reveal of bad news. Even so, his words were chilling. “How long have they been under Central?”  
  
“A very long time, apparently right under our noses.”  
  
Rebecca’s gaze fell to her toes, wondering, worrying. “I see.”  
  
“Lt. Ross was smuggled to Xing, but now she’s returning to assist in the coup. She’s secured a transport of firearms and will be bringing them to Central. You’ve been chosen to be her partner to help navigate the city streets. There’s going to be a ton of shelling once this thing goes down, and I doubt she’s been gone long enough to forget the city’s layout, but she’s going to be driving a specially outfitted truck and will need her concentration to keep it on the road and avoid gunfire. Your orders are to see her safely to Central and be her navigator during the worst of the fire fight.”  
  
Rebecca snapped a salute to him. “Yes, sir!”  
  
He reached into his jacket and handed her a train ticket. “As of right now you’re on immediate leave. You don’t need to pack anything, there will be a room at the local inn set up in your name with clothes and money enough for you and Ross to eat with.” They could hear the reporters chatting excitedly as they returned from their meal and Miles cursed under his breath. “You’re expected back in Central no later than 0900 in two days. You’ll need to leave right away. And forgive me-”  
  
He grabbed her around the waist and jerked her into his arms, kissing her lips hard just as the reporters opened the door.  
  
“Woah! What’ve we got here!” one of them exclaimed.  
  
“Looks like a love story between North and East! Anyone got a camera?”  
  
“What are their names?”  
  
Miles cleared his throat. “My apologies, we didn’t expect you to return so soon. We’ll be leaving.”  
  
“Oh, no you don’t,” a fat man in a tweed suit said as he fanned himself with his hat. “This is a human interest story, we need details, Major!”  
  
A voice called out from below, “There you are, Major! Gen. Grumman’s been trying to find you for half an hour, sir!”  
  
Miles grabbed her hand and pushed through the reporters. “Excuse us, gentlemen. There are still lots of preparations to be made before the big battle!”  
  
As they hurried down the wooden stairs, he apologized again for the rudeness of his actions.  
  
“No apology needed, sir,” she replied, grinning. “If we survive, I’d be willing to try it again sometime!”  
  
“I appreciate that, but I’m spoken for, Lieutenant.”  
  
“You got a brother, sir?”  
  
He laughed at that. “No, I’m sorry. Now get going, quickly.” He turned toward her, squeezing her hand. “Good luck, Catalina. We’re really counting on you.”  
  
She felt her cheeks heat as she replied, “Good luck to you too, Major. See ya when it’s all over.”

* * *

Youswell was hotter than the devil’s nut sack. She wondered if Ishval was as miserable as she stepped off the train. Despite traveling without any luggage apart from a small purse, no one paid her any attention, and before she even cleared the exit, she saw the elusive Maria Ross standing by a light post waiting for her.  
  
She smiled as she approached. “I’m so glad you’re alive,” Rebecca said as she gave her a handshake.  
  
“Me, too!” Lt. Ross said with a laugh. “I’ve got so much to tell you, let’s go to our room and get settled in for the night. We’ll need to leave around 0400 in order to make it to Central on time. And we’ll have to sleep in the truck the night before.”  
  
Over a meal of roast pork and potato cakes in their room, Maria (who insisted Rebecca drop the ‘Lt. Ross’ bit, as she wasn’t even in the army anymore) told her all about what was going to happen. They were going to support Col. Mustang and Gen. Armstrong is whatever ways they could with ammunition, more powerful weapons, and supporting mortar fire if necessary. Their only orders from Mustang were to avoid as many casualties as possible.  
  
Maria chuckled. “My orders from Gen. Armstrong were to kill whatever gets in my way, in whatever way achieves that goal. We’ll see what happens, though. I’m not gonna go out of my way to kill someone, that’s for sure.”  
  
Rebecca nodded, slurping at a beer. “I gotcha. I won’t either. But I’ve got no problem offing some guys if it means getting those monsters out of Central.”  
  
Maria looked down at her plate. “When I was on my way to Xing, I journeyed with a man who had seen one, had fought with it. They don’t die, Rebecca…” She shook her head. “I mean, this man could catch a rabbit, kill it, and have it skinned before your eyes even knew he was hunting. He’s one of the most deadly people I’ve ever met- and without any alchemy of any kind… I heard Mustang was able to burn one down to ash, but that it took more firepower than he would have estimated for an enemy its size. I wonder how he plans to kill so many of them in a few days.”  
Rebecca chewed thoughtfully. She knew Riza wouldn’t blindly back him if she wasn’t sure he could do it. “Maybe he’s figured out some secret of theirs… There has to be a reason he’s so gung-ho about it.”  
  
Maria reached for another beer. “I apologize for drinking so much, but I won’t sleep unless I’m at least a little tipsy.”  
  
Rebecca shrugged. “You’re not offending me in the least, doll. So tell me, what do they drink over in Xing?”  
  
“Rice wine mostly, it’s cheap and easy to make, though the really good vintages take generations to perfect. There are fruit wines too, and a type of moonshine made from wheat.” She grinned. “Trust me when I say a little bit of that takes you from sober to drunk in under a minute!”  
  
Rebecca smiled back. “Sounds like Xing is a pretty happenin’ place! Maybe when this is over I should go see if I can find a husband there!”  
  
“You might do better than I did- my choice of hair style made me unattractive to many of the men I met there. With that long ponytail, you might have a shot.”  
  
They talked into the night, swapping stories about commanding officers, their coworkers, their families and friends… When they finally decided to turn in, Rebecca thanked the woman for trusting her to be her partner.  
  
“If we get out of this alive, we should hang out together. Bring that Brosch guy and we can all have a celebratory drink!”  
  
Maria agreed. “That would be so great. I haven’t seen anyone I know in so long, it would be a great way to come home.” She laughed. “Of course, we’ll have to invite poor Havoc along too, or he’ll be upset that we left him out of the festivities!”  
  
“Isn’t he out this way now?” Rebecca asked. “He’s safe enough to miss the death and destruction isn’t he?”  
  
Maria turned the lamp back on and grinned at Rebecca. “So I’ve got an ice cream truck full of all kinds of weapons and ammo. I didn’t steal them from a depot or anything, so where do you think I got them?”  
  
Rebecca shrugged, confused. “I dunno- Xing?”  
  
“From the Havoc General Store in Fulda, who ordered them straight from the manufacturer.”  
  
It dawned on Rebecca just then how big of a part Jean Havoc was playing in their mission, despite being in a wheelchair in the sticks. “That dog, pulling strings like a puppeteer from that chair.” She lay back down in the bed. “Maybe Riza was right, maybe he _is_ the one…”  
  
Maria laughed loudly. “Is every man a possible suitor for you?”  
  
Rebecca answered, “No, only the best will do for me!”  
  
Not long after they were both asleep, getting some rest before beginning the long journey to Central- a journey that could make or break the world as they knew it.

* * *

After it was over, after Riza had been released from the hospital, Havoc had his legs restored, and Mustang got his eyesight back, everyone involved in the ‘Promised Day’ as it was being called, arrived at a hole in the wall bar toward the west end of Central City. It wasn’t the best area of town to be in, but after the events of the past few weeks, people seemed to find a new morality within them, and none of the patrons were bothered on their way to celebrate their victory.  
  
Rebecca made her way through the crowd to Maria, who sat chatting excitedly with Braeda, Fuery and who she assumed was Brosch. “Hey Maria!” she called out, waving. “Look at you, three men all to yourself- why can’t you share!?”  
  
Maria laughed. She took the hand belonging to the shaggy blond on her right. “Only this one is mine, the other two are up for grabs!” She asked Rebecca to sit down and join them.  
  
“Only if one of these boys buys me a drink!” she replied, only half expecting either of the men to do it. To her surprise, Braeda waved the barmaid down right away and pulled a chair out for her without getting up.  
  
As she sat down, Maria shoved her hand into her face- a diamond solitaire sparkled on her finger and the sound that came from Rebecca’s throat was somewhere between a cry of agony and excitement.  
  
“Look at that rock!” She grabbed Maria’s hand. “Oh my god, tell me everything! Did you cry?” She looked at her friend’s blushing beau. “She cried didn’t she? Maria, I _need_ details here!”  
  
Braeda laughed at her. “Jeeze, the word ‘vicarious’ comes to mind!”  
  
“Shut up, Hey!” she shot back with a scowl. “Riza’s never gonna get hitched at this rate, so I have to take my joy where I can!”  
  
The round man shook his head, grinning. “Well, I only just bought you a drink, you can’t expect me to go running down to the jeweler’s just yet! Gotta give it at least three weeks!”  
  
The other s around the table were surprised at Braeda’s words, thinking he was a smooth talker and all. “Well, we’ll just have to wait and see, won’t we?” She turned back to Maria. “In the meantime- tell me _everything!_ ”  
  
After that night, a lot of things changed. Everyone went different ways, units were reassigned, some left the army altogether. But through it all, Rebecca and Maria remained close friends. Maria asked Rebecca to be one of her bridesmaids-  
  
But Rebecca eloped to Braeda before Maria and Denny ever set a date.


End file.
